Aquaculture Research
Research with yellowtail (Seriola quingueradiata) is helping to understand the response of some species of fish to diets containing high levels of soybean meal. Researchers fed juvenile fish (initial body weight of 250g) a soy protein based-diet without fishmeal for 40 weeks in a floating case study. Taurine was supplemented to contain diet levels of 0.03, 33.9, 52.8 or 71.6 mg/g. Fish fed the unsupplemented diet with taurine for 20 weeks had reduced growth and feed utilization, higher death rate and incidence of green liver and hemolytic anemia. In this group, hepatic and plasma taurine concentrations, serum osmolality and osmotic tolerance of erythrocytes were significantly lower and plasma hydroperoxide concentration was higher compared to the taurine supplemented treatments. Results improved with dietary taurine supplementation. These results indicate that taurine plays a role in hemolytic suppression through osmoregulation and biomembrane stabilization.
Takagi, S. and co-workers. 2006. Hemolytic suppression roles of taurine in yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata fed non-fishmeal diet based on soybean protein. Fisheries Sci. 72(3): 546-555.
